Friends of the Rebuild: Non-MLB Athlete Sox Fans

When the Bulls signed Chicago native and White Sox fan Jabari Parker last week, I decided to compile a list of non-MLB athletes who root for the White Sox. As only diehard White Sox fans seem to have interest in the Sox (for good reason, as this is likely the worst stage of the rebuild) right now, while the team on the other side of town gets far more national attention, I thought it may be interesting to take a look at athletes who are known White Sox fans.

Jabari Parker

I was very happy when the Bulls signed Jabari Parker. Not only does his one year, relatively risk-free deal make me look forward to the Bulls’ season, but Parker himself is a very charitable, caring person who will likely be very active in helping out the city of Chicago.

Above is a picture of Parker cheering on Duke in 2015. With his return to Chicago, you may see him at White Sox or Bears games, as Parker is a very big fan of both teams.

Giannis Antetokounmpo

NBA superstar and Milwaukee Bucks forward/guard Giannis Antetokounmpo was seen (pictured above) wearing a Sox cap with a fan recently. He has also allegedly worn the same cap in the past on his Instagram stories. While there is no other proof of him being a diehard White Sox fan, it is still very cool to see such a high-profile athlete with no Chicago ties supporting the team.

Frank Kaminsky

The @whitesox are gonna be dangerous… super excited for the future!

— Hippo Kaminsky III ? (@FSKPart3) July 19, 2017

A former Wisconsin basketball star and current Charlotte Hornets power forward/center, Kaminsky attended Benet Academy in Lisle and grew up a diehard Sox fan. He has even become a fan favorite on Twitter, as he often pokes fun at the Cubs.

Jimmy Garoppolo

Garoppolo, starting quarterback for the San Francisco 49ers, grew up in Arlington Heights as a White Sox fan. He is arguably the most famous athlete on this list, as he spent a few years as Tom Brady’s backup in New England. Even with his more hectic schedule, he still enjoys attending Sox games.

Not much better than a Sox game with the fam #SouthSide

— Jimmy Garoppolo (@JimmyG_10) July 6, 2016

Kendall Coyne

White Sox fans may remember Coyne’s ceremonial first pitch from this season, for which she used a hockey stick to vault the baseball to home plate. This was fitting, of course, as Coyne was a member of the 2018 USA Women’s National Hockey Team which won the gold medal over Canada. Coyne was raised in Oak Lawn.

Kyle Long

Most may know Kyle Long as the staple of the Chicago Bears’ offensive line for the past few years, but he actually played baseball in high school in addition to football, and was drafted by the White Sox (did not sign) in 2008. Even though he didn’t sign, Long has still attended several White Sox games since and regularly wears Sox caps during his postgame interviews.

Mitchell Trubisky

Trubisky is not a diehard Sox fan like most of the above athletes. Given that he is an avid Cleveland Cavaliers fan from Mentor, Ohio, he is likely an Indians fan. However, Trubisky’s close friend, Kade McClure, was drafted by the White Sox in 2017 and was having a stellar 2018 campaign for Kannapolis before he underwent a knee surgery. Unfortunately, McClure will miss the remainder of the season. Regardless, he is likely the reason that Trubisky can often be seen sporting a White Sox cap.

Nice hat, Mr. Biscuit. pic.twitter.com/kiIg7Q5lWT

— Chicago Bears (@ChicagoBears) August 5, 2017

Jonathan Toews

While Toews (right), captain of the Blackhawks, was rooting for the Cubs in 2016, former teammate Kris Versteeg exposed Toews as a White Sox fan. Whether Toews still supports the Sox is unknown, but it may be safe to assume that he was simply supporting the city of Chicago along with the rest of his team during the Cubs’ run in 2016.

Jordan Howard (?)

Jordan Howard has gone to Cubs games with some regularity. His profile picture on Instagram is literally him wearing a Cubs jersey. However, the tweet below shows him wearing a White Sox cap, so I felt the need to include him. Perhaps he’s one of those guys who just likes the logo, or he supports both teams.

https://twitter.com/BearsLink82/status/974125296797528064

I would like to add that plenty of athletes have thrown out first pitches at White Sox games- pretty much every Bulls draft pick dating back to Derrick Rose, many Bears draft picks, and so on. I don’t count these players as “fans” unless they actively support the team online, attend games, or rep Sox gear in public.

I hope you enjoyed the list – if anybody on here was particularly surprising, or if you think I missed somebody, feel free to leave a comment on this article, the Sox on 35th Twitter/Facebook, or even shoot us a message! I’d imagine, as the rebuild progresses, more and more athletes will be joining this list. For now, we know who was with the team before the eventual contention years.